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Friday, June 28, 2013

I headed out the other day for work and errands and I decided to whip out some floral denim I had purchased in the winter. Now that the weather is finally warm I feel like it is appropriate to wear floral pants again (althoughthat didn't stop me from wearing them in December). I purchased these from American Eagle (their jeggings fit me perfectly) and paired it with a basic Joe Fresh tee (I need more of these!) and a black blazer from Zara. Grabbed my Modalu London Pippa bag and my Calvin Klein Wedges and I was good to go!

This mascara promises to stay put for an ENTIRE day without smudging while volumizing your lashes at the same time but I pretty sure I will never need it to do the job for 24 hours (I'd be happy with 12). I've been using this for a few weeks now so I have a pretty good idea of whether it lives up to its claims or not.

First I'll tell you the good news. This mascara holds a curl all day long which is something that I can't say any of my other mascaras do. I actually found the hold quite impressive and was always amazed at how good my lashes looked at the end of the day. It's not the most volumizing mascara but I actually prefer a more natural look so the look it gave was pretty much perfect for me. It didn't stack up 100% in the no smudging area for me though. I had a few days where I made it without smudging but for the most part (I think due to the higher humidity) I had smudging by the end of the day. Please keep in mind that I am abnormally prone to smudging so if you aren't then this might work really well for you. It retails for $4.99 so it isn't going to break the bank and I think I would purchase this once I run out assuming I haven't found something else I want to try by then.

What do you think?

* I was sent this product for editorial consideration. I was not paid to write this post. All opinions are honest and my own.

Monday, June 24, 2013

I used to be a very lazy person when it came to my evening skincare routine. There was once a time when I would crawl into bed without washing my face or removing makeup. I would rub off my mascara with my hands (how disgusting is that?!) and obviously wakeup looking like a racoon with mascara smudged on my pillow. Slowly but surely I came to the realization that I needed to take good care of my skin if I wanted it to look good and thus my evening skincare routine was born. I've slowly added products as time has gone on but for anyone who is looking to start a nighttime routine I'd say the most important things to do are double cleanse, tone and moisturize. I've also uploaded a video onto YouTube which you can watch HERE or down below.

After cleansing and toning my first step is using 2 drops of Pai's Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil which I gently pat into my face. I was worried that I would be left feeling like a grease ball but I have really enjoyed using this and my skin is soft and supple. Next up I apply my eye cream which is currently the Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Eye Cream and then I move on to the Elizabeth Arden Prevage Anti-Aging + Intensive Repair Serum. I really like this stuff but the full size bottle hovers somewhere around $250 which is a bit steep so I won't be buying the full size anytime soon. Then it's time for Hydraluron and I let that absorb for a minute or two before I apply my Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer. My final step is applying Eucerin's Aquaphor on my lips and if I have any spots I dab on a bit of Desert Essence 100% Tea Tree Oil to try and stop them in their tracks. I know it sounds like a lot of products and it is, but I recently read this great article by Caroline Hirons and according to her I'm doing it all right (except for the fact that I'm missing an exfoliating toner) and because she's the expert I'll keep on at it.

Friday, June 21, 2013

I graduated last Wednesday from a two year fashion business program which is part of the reason why my blogging has been quite infrequent for the last year and half. Now that I am done school though, I am back at it in full force. My parents came in to town and we had a nice time having dinner the night before and then lunch after my graduation. I missed out on my University convocation because I had already left the country for Korea by the time it rolled around so it was fun to finally get to walk across a stage. I know dresses are standard graduation attire but I opted to wear my good ole American Eagle Jeggings, Bianca Nygard blouse, Calvin Klein Wedges and my trusty Pippa bag from Modalu London. I accessorized with my Emporio Armani watch and Kate Spade sunglasses.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

I was wandering through my local drugstore when I spotted this beautiful palette from Canadian brand Annabelle. It was a love at first sight kind of thing and I knew I had to have it. I have never actually used anything from the brand before so I had no idea what to expect in terms of product quality and wear time and I was pleasantly surprised.

The blush applied quite easily and wasn't chalky at all. I swirled all the colours together but I suppose you could use them separately if you wanted although the smaller colours would prove to be a challenge. One of the things I hate about drugstore blushes is the wear time. I'm normally left blush-less after a few hours and I was really happy to see that my blush was still intact after arriving home from work. It is a very pretty pale and natural looking pink as you can see below and I've been using it everyday since I got it.

Monday, June 17, 2013

I have also filmed a YouTube video to go along with this post and you can watch it HERE or scroll down below. My everyday makeup bag is a Ted Baker "wash bag" I was given for Christmas by my sister. I have a thing for all things British so it is pretty much the perfect bag for me and it just fits all the things I use on a daily basis.

Friday, June 14, 2013

It seems that my purple Forever 21 blazer is my go to clothing item as of late. I can't stop wearing it! I headed out to work the other day wearing a basic Joe Fresh tee, my trusty black American Eagle Jeggings and my new (old) favourite Forever 21 blazer. I threw on my favourite pair of Yosi Samra flats which are the most comfortable flats I have ever worn and decided to tote my beloved Modalu London Pippa bag (yes, I own the bag made famous by Pippa Middleton. Shocker, right?). I will admit that I would happily own it in multiple colours but this light grey (shark) is perfect for spring and summer.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

I was recently sent Essence 3D Eyeshadow in Irresistible Chocolates* and I seem to have fallen for the two pretty shades in this duo. I have seen Essence products in the drugstore but never made a purchase so I was more than happy to give this a go. I was also pleasantly surprised that the colour I was sent was exactly the shade I would have picked out for myself (I am a tad bit boring and tend to stick to neutrals)

I put the lighter of the two shades all over my lid and while it isn't the most pigmented of colours it provided a very pretty golden brown wash of colour. I then went in with the darker colour in the outer corner and blended it out. Overall I was really happy with the result. I did use a primer underneath because I have very oily eye lids so I can't say what the wear is like without a primer but with primer it lasted all day without creasing so it's a win in my books. Also, with a retail price of $3.49 (prices vary depending on location) I think this is a total steal!

What do you think? Have you tried Essence products before?

*I was sent this product for editorial consideration. I have not been paid to write this post and all opinions are honest and my own.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Over the last three years I have morphed into a skincare junkie and I have become obsessed with trying new products all in the hopes that I will find something that magically stops the ageing process (I can dream, right?) With that being said, I am still in my 20's so my regimen is more about prevention rather than actually treating issues like wrinkles. I have filmed a YouTube video talking about all the products I use and you can watch it HERE or down below.

Every morning I wash my face with Avene's Gentle Gel Cleanser which I was given by a friend after she decided it wasn't right for her skin. I have normal/combination skin that can be slightly sensitive at times and I find this to be a great gentle cleanser for the morning. It doesn't lather up so if that's what you are looking for you won't enjoy this. Once a week or so I use the Clarisonic Miaas a form of exfoliation. I used to use this every night while cleansing but I think it works better for me in the morning and with less frequent use. Other products I use to exfoliate are Murad's AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser and Michael Todd True Organics Tropical Fruit Enzymatic Scrub. Both have tiny beads and are good physical exfoliants. Once I'm out of the shower I spray on the Nuxe Gentle Toning Lotionwhich I like but wish wasn't so fragranced. It is gentle and hydrating which is important to me and so far it's doing the job. My skin never feels tight after cleansing and I attribute it to this.

After a period of breaking out I started using La Roche Posay's Effaclar Duo and it is now a must-have item in my stash. I'm already nearing the end of my second tube and will 100% be repurchasing this product. It has kept major breakouts and bay and any spots that do pop up are relatively minor and heal quickly. My moisturizer does not contain an SPF so every morning I slather onElta MD's UV Shield SPF 45and then follow with Neutrogena's Oil-Free Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin. I really like the SPF because it is non-greasy and it doesn't break me out. It also doesn't smell like sunscreen which is something I hate about having to put on SPF. The moisturizer is pretty basic but a decent addition especially if you are on a budget.

I then use theGarnier Anti-Puff Eye Rollerto help wake me up. While I can't say that it is super for anit-puffing I really enjoy the cooling effect of the metal ball so I will keep on using this. My current eye cream isOlay Touch of Concealer Eye Regenerating Creamwhich I like, but don't love. The cream is tinted and it is a tad bit to dark for me so I always need to make sure that I have blended it well. Before I start my makeup I pop on a bit ofNuxe's Reve de Miel Lip Balm which I love to use before makeup because of it's matte finish which makes it great for layering under other lip products. Finally I useCaudalie's Beauty Elixirto get rid of any powdery finish after I have done my makeup or to refresh throughout the day. I also use theAvene Thermal Spring Waterfor refreshing or right after I've washed my face but you'll have to watch the video below to see why I do that!